Welcome to EPsy 3264: Basic and Applied Statistics.
Andrew Zieffler (zief0002@umn.edu)
Office: Education Sciences Building 178
Office Hours: Tuesday 9:00 AM–10:00 AM; and by appointment
EPsy 3264 is designed to engage students using a modeling and simulation approach to inference. This course uses pedagogical principles that are founded in research, such as daily small group activities and discussion. Upon completion of this course, students should have an understanding of the foundational concepts of data, variation and inference, as well as an appreciation for the fundamental role that statistics plays in a host of disciplines, such as business, economics, law, and medicine.
The course textbook, which includes the out-of-class readings, is available online at http://zief0002.github.io/statistical-thinking/.
You will work from the lab manual, Statistical Thinking 4.2: A Simulation Approach to Modeling Uncertainty, every day in class. Click here to download a PDF copy of the lab manual. You will need to bring the lab manual to class with you every day.
There are several data sets used in the lab manual, as well as in EPSY 3264 assignments. Click here to download a ZIP file to your computer that includes all the data sets. Once the ZIP file has been downloaded to your computer, double-click the ZIP file to unzip it and access the materials.
Much of the material presented in the lab manual requires the use of TinkerPlots™. This software can be downloaded (for Mac or PC), and a license can be purchased from http://www.tinkerplots.com/. Note, since this software needs to be installed, it will not work on a Chromebook or other notebooks that only run web apps.
TinkerPlots is installed on four computers in the Walter Library computer lab (WALIB 105; Computers 18–21). These computers are marked with a sign indicating that TinkerPlots is installed on them.
There are several things you can do to be successful in this course. First and foremost, complete all of the readings and come prepared to class. Complete all of the lab assignments. Ask questions. If you are experiencing problems, need help, or have any questions or other course-related concerns, do not hesitate to get in touch with the instructor or one of the Teaching Assisstants. Note: If you are unable to meet during the scheduled office hours, we can work with you to find a day/time that works in your schedule!
We have four Teaching Assisstants who you can help you with the course material:
Jesslyn Valerie (valer066@umn.edu)
Office: Education Sciences Building 196
Office Hours: Wednesday 1:00 PM–2:00 PM; and by appointment
Sam Ihlenfeldt (ihlen010@umn.edu)
Office: Education Sciences Building 193
Office Hours: Wednesday 11:30 AM PM–12:30 PM; and by appointment
Johanna Schultz (schu4338@umn.edu)
Office: Education Sciences Building 192
Office Hours: Monday 10:00 AM–11:00 AM; and by appointment
Manos Hatzimalonas (chatz006@umn.edu)
Office: Education Sciences Building 192
Office Hours: Thursday 1:30 PM–3:30 PM; and by appointment
Before coming for help, you may want to review the Asking Helpful Questions section of the website.
Below is the tenative schedule for the class. The dates are subject to change at the instructor’s discretion. Readings should be completed prior to class. Assignments are due at the beginning of the class period that they are due
| Unit 0: Introduction | ||
| Sept. 04 | Introduction to EPsy 3264 | |
| Unit 1: Modeling and Simulation | ||
| Sept. 09 | Reading: Introduction | |
| Reading: Modeling & Simulation | ||
| Spotify Playlists | ||
| Sept. 11 | Reading: Generating Data From Models | |
| Generating Random Data—Cat Factory | ||
| Sept. 16 | Reading: Monte Carlo Simulation | |
| Assignment #1 Due (Learning TinkerPlots) | ||
| Introduction to Monte Carlo Simulation | ||
| Sept. 18 | Automating the Simulation Process | |
| Sept. 23 | Assignment #2 Due (Free Throws) | |
| Group Quiz #1 | ||
| Unit 2: Modeling Sampling Variation | ||
| Sept. 25 | Reading: Modeling Sampling Variation | |
| Monday Breakups | ||
| Sept. 30 | Features of Distributions | |
| Oct. 02 | Reading: Describing Distributions | |
| Assignment #3 Due (Distracted Driving) | ||
| Helper or Hinderer | ||
| Oct. 07 | Comparing Hand Spans | |
| Oct. 09 | Assignment #4 Due (College Debt) | |
| Racial Disparities in Police Stops | ||
| Oct. 14 | Group Quiz #2 | |
| Unit 3: Experimental Variation and the Randomization Test | ||
| Oct. 16 | Reading: Experimental Variation and the Randomization Test | |
| Memorization | ||
| Oct. 21 | Memorization using TinkerPlots | |
| Oct. 23 | Sleep Deprivation | |
| Oct. 28 | Reading: Quantifying Results: p-Value | |
| Contagious Yawns | ||
| Oct. 30 | Reading: Internal Validity Evidence and Random Assignment | |
| Assignment #5 Due (Dolphin Therapy) | ||
| Strength Shoe | ||
| Nov. 04 | Group Quiz #3 | |
| Unit 4: Sampling Variation and the Bootstrap Test | ||
| Nov. 06 | Reading: Sampling Variation and the Bootstrap Test | |
| Speed Skating | ||
| Nov. 11 | Reading: External Validity Evidence and Random Sampling | |
| Gettysburg Address | ||
| Nov. 13 | Reading: Validity Evidence and Inferences | |
| Reading: Observational Studies and the Bootstrap Test | ||
| Murderous Nurse | ||
| Nov. 18 | Assignment #6 Due (Lyric Readability) | |
| Movie Sequels | ||
| Nov. 20 | Group Quiz #4 | |
| Unit 5: Estimating Uncertainty | ||
| Nov. 25 | Reading: Estimating Uncertainty | |
| Kissing the ‘Right’ Way | ||
| Nov. 27 | No Class: Take a well-earned break | |
| Dec. 02 | Cuddling Preferences | |
| Dec. 04 | Reading: Uncertainty and Bias | |
| Assignment #7 Due (College Student Health Survey) | ||
| Minnesota College Debt | ||
| Dec. 09 | Comparing Cuddling Preferences | |
| Dec. 11 | Group Quiz #5 | |
| Dec. 12 |
Assignment #8 Due (Dolphins and Pigs) Due by 12:00pm in EdSciB 250 |
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Below are the due dates for the assignments, as well as links to the PDF files for each assignment. The due dates may change at the instructor’s discretion. Any revised due dates will be announced in class and posted to the website.
Asking questions is part of the learning process, and if you are stuck on a homework assignment or concerned about your course performance, please ask! However, since your work on the assignments is one way we evaluate your performance, there is a delicate balance to how the instructors and TAs will respond to your questions.
Below are a few examples of the types of questions or statements that students have had for the teaching team that are difficult for the teaching team to address.
Here are examples of these types of requests:
The teaching team will not directly answer these requests. You will be redirected to ask something more specific.
Here are examples of these types of requests:
The teaching team finds these requests difficult because the assignments are an evaluation of your skills and knowledge. So when you ask these types of questions it begins to blur the lines about whether the answers on the homework reflect what you know (we can’t do the homework for you).
Here are examples of these types of requests:
We understand that your grade is important to you. However, even if it is not intended, the implication of these statements is for the teaching team to do something unethical, such as grade things differently for different students.